Friday Failed Frog Find

dragoncjo

Piney
Aug 12, 2005
1,574
298
43
camden county
Yeah, I never saw a ranger in probably two years out there and now I see one every time out. I like seeing them out there, I sometimes wish that was my job...I'd be a real SOB though, hah.
 
Guy,

Good plant hunting and nice photos!

bobpbx,

Regarding your comment about the ranking of the orchid Aresthusa, I tried desparately to get that species listed on the Pinelands Compreshensive Management Plan list of rare and endangered species back in 1979-1980. It is tragic that such a beautiful, rare, signature species of the Pines is not listed. As you are aware, there is still an extensive number of rare plants that the Commission needs to add to its list of protected species.

Lost Town Hunter
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
8,694
All,

I spent the day today with Lost Town Hunter doing a little research, and his wife found this at their front door just before we left. I was blocked by a trash can so I was not able to get much closer.

IMG_9702a.jpg


Also..

IMG_9712a.jpg


And thanks to the great exploring of Gibby.... he found this stone and let me know about it. Lost Town Hunter and I made a quick stop on our way home and I brought my chalk. It is much more obvious that the date is 1844 with the right side of the stone slightly cut off. The letters are much harder to ascertain but a few guesses are maybe RL or BL or whatever. I will return soon and take a large quantity of water with me which sometimes makes the letters stand out.

IMG_9710a.jpg


Guy
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,673
2,586
60
millville nj
www.youtube.com
that snake has a pattern like a pine,hognose or corn.the head is not a hognose and this is very very dark for a pine.It could very well be a jersey corn,they get that dark but I'd need to see the top of the head for confirmation.What say you Dragoncoj or Eyesoftheworld?
 
Guy,

I've just taken a look at the snake photo you took at my house on Sunday. At the time you took the photo I only got a brief glance at it because I hurriedly had to get my things together for us to leave. I did tell you then that I thought it was a juvenile black rat snake. Now that I've examined your photo, I'm convinced it's a black rat (Elaphe obsoleta absoleta), our largest snake in New Jersey. Keep in mind that the juveniles are patterned and look quite different from the adults. I've also contacted my colleagues at Herpetological Associates, Inc.--Bob McCort, Dave Schneider, & Bob Zappalorti--who examined the photo and are in total agreement with my ID.

Lost Town Hunter
 

manumuskin

Piney
Jul 20, 2003
8,673
2,586
60
millville nj
www.youtube.com
I knew that about rat snakes but the snake looked quite large in the photo so I assumed it was an adult and corn snakes are rat snakes and the pattern to me looked more corn then pine.Black racers also have this sort of color pattern as neonates.A good down facing head shot would have told the difference between pine and rat snake in a second.I do believe corns and black rats may have interbred in this area in the past.It is quite common down here to find black rats with red coloration along their sides.The last known corn found here was in 90 DOR on Ackley road about 2 mi from my house.
Anyone wanting snake ID try and get a shot of the head hopefully the top if possible.Body pattern is nice but can be confusing and coloration definitely so,the scales and especially head scalation tell all.
 
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